Lubricator



March l2, 1929. J, J, HENNEssY 1,704,743

LUBRICATOR Filed Oct. 7, 1924 Patented Mar. l2, 1929.

UNITED STATES JAMES J. HENNESSY, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

LUBRICATOR.

Application led October 7, 1924. Serial No. 742,253.

My invention relates to journal lubricators such as are used on railway rolling stock and consists in an improved apparatus for supplying lubricant to the surface of an axle journal.

My lubricator is of the type in which a pump utilized to raise the lubricant from a reservoir or cellar to a Waste container or otherI device for distributing lubricant over the journal, and one of the objects of my invention is to limit the amount of lubricant fed to the distributor by the pump, irrespective of Certain variations in the operation of the pump plunger.

Another object of my invention is to adapt a pump of the type utilized so that the same will operate in a particular type of reservoir when the lubricant level in the reservoir is below the body of the pump.

Another object of my invention is to provide a pumping and distributing device so mounted in the reservoir that it may 'follow any movement of the journal relatively to the reservoir. ai Another object of my invention is to remove si'lrplus-'s lubricant from the jouinal surface as it leaves the lubricant distributing member. All of these particular objects combine to provide a more efficient lubrica- :io tor in which vthe lubricant is supplied to the journal more evenly than heretofore and waste of the lubricant is avoided.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my inventionligure l is a veitical longitudinal section througl'i my improved lubiicator and shows the saine applied to the journal of a car axle.

liigure 2 is a transverse vertical section on line 2 2 of Figure l.

40 Figure 3 a. detail view taken substantially on line 3 3 of Figure l.

Figure 4: is a top view of a journal wiper detail described hereafter.

The car axle journal and Wheel hub are shown at A and B, respectively, and it vill be understood that the axle carries a suitable journal. or driving box (not shown) through which the load is transferred to the axle. The lubricator positioned in such box comprises a cellar or reservoir l, a pump 2, and a sub-cellar or distributor' The body of pump 2 is provided with a down- .vardly en ending` lug 4 located approximately below the center of the distributor and forming a bearing on which the pump may pivot freely to a limited extent. The distributor 3 is yieldingly supported on pump 2 by means of a spring 5. Preferably, the distributor is filled with waste or other suitable packing material by means of which lubricant supplied to the center of the distributor by the pump may be spread by capillary attraction throughout the area of the distributor. 1 The pump body includes a horizontal iniet passage and a vertical discharge passage eguipped with cheek valves G and 7, respectively. rhe pump piston 8 is normally thrust to the left by a coil spring 9 and is positively moved to the right by an actuating element l0 which projects through the side wall of the cellar and is adapted to be engaget'i by the inner face of the wheel hub B on journal A.

is obvioiis that shifting of the journal and wheel` longitifuilinally of their axis and through the journal or driving box will serve to operate the pump to force lubricant trom the reservoir to the upper end of the discharge passage. This broad arrangement S0 terms no part of my present invention as the same is described in copeiiding ap alications filed by me, for instance, Serial No. 578,018, filed July 27, 1922.

Due to the viscosity of heavy oils, espc- 85 cially in cold weather, the diameter of the pump piston cannot be safely reduced below a certain minimum, approximatelv threecights of an inch, and `with a piston of this diameter longitudinal. movement exceeding' 9o one-half inch is objectionable for the reason that a greater amount of oil is pumped than can be distributed without flooding the distributor and being wasted by being thrown out of 'the box by the journal. Y

To limit the travel of the pump piston, I provide a stop for element l0 which, however, may be automatically adjusted to provide the desired reciprocal movement of the element and the pump piston. rllhis stop is 10o here illustrated as a ring ll of springr material compressed within the bearing for element l0 and surrounding the reduced portion l2 of vthe element. Movement of the wheel hub B to the right will positively 105 force ring` 1l inwardly of its bearing. Subsequent movement of element l0 to the left will be limited by the engagement of its righthand shoulder with ring 1l, although shifting of the journal in theibox may per- 11o mit hub B to move a substantially greater distance away from 'the end of element l0. Il the movement of hub B to the right, which positions ring l1, Was an abnormal movement, which is not duplicated for a lengthy period, thejarring ol' 'the apparatus over the rail and .the repeated tzqopingv oi" the element shoulder against the Ainner lace of ring l1, Will gradually `move the latter to the left until ring 11 is as 'lar out the normal :inward movement 'of the hub Will permit. By means -o'f this device, the stroke of the pump `piston may be ineintained fairlyconstant and the lengthfoi this stroke controlled by ythe length of the reduced por-tien 'l2 o' the piston 10.

Resting on 4check valve 7 land slidalole the pump discharge passage a plunger "r3 provided with a restricted aperture l-l: vol substantially smaller cross sectional than the interior :of the pump lcylinderand piston. WV-hen :the pump piston moves inwardly ron its discharge stroke, the lubricant Jtorced through the Vdischarge p ssage (in oX- cess ol the amount which can pass through aperture le.) .will lift plunger 13 until the lower end of the latter vuncovers a lay-pass 15 in the Wall of the discharge passage which permits excess lubricant to return `to the reservoir. By means'othis arrangement lubricant vwill lbe discharged :through aperture 14 in a succession of shortsquirts. Usually a substantially :larger "amount of lubricant Will be returned tothe reservoir zthrough the byepass, thus Aavoiding excessive supply `to the journal.

A'spring'supported delivery sleeve I1G survrounds :the pump discharge passage and forms a restricted-passage insuring free dow of lubricant to the surface oi the journal A. A pin f17 traverses the pump discharge passage :and :project-Sinto .longitudinal .slot 18.in sleeveilfi. This pinlimitsthe upwara'l movement Sof the sleeve and lalso limits the upward movement olf .plunger .13, thus preventing the .disassembly ol' these elerneius With the pump body when the lubricator is removed 'from `the box.

' .To .prevent the surface ci' Athe ournal cai rying a surplus .amount of lubricai'it up wai-idly and'zthrowing itout of the Ibox by centrifugal force, I prefer -to provide Wiping elements at'the edges ont the distributor and these Velements may be provided by tending thesides vo-i'' fthe distributor las shown at 19 in Figure 2, and also by' providing separate wiping elements, such .as 'i mounted Aon ysuitable springs 21 which resi on the floor foi `the fdistributor.V lith the L -stri other relatively solt material which will be Worn into a contour which iiolloiais the journal. lin lmy preferred construction, l' show upstanding flanges Q2 the yfloor of the 'sub-'cellar and yl s-lot springs 21-so that the 'intake opens Vdownwardly provision o1PA the pumpr intake 24- in the form shown in Figure 1 and Figure 3 in which and is enlarged as shown to afford :tree passage to 'the pump cylinder. The opening in the in- Ltaire is provided with a screen 25 and the enlarged opening permits a substantial portion of the screen' to be choked .Without inter'lering with the operation of the pump. The downwardly directed rterminal of the int-alte permits lthe pump to `function jalt la lower level or" lubricant in the reservoir than possible with the horizontal terminal of the Apui-np rbody .previously provided. In order to permit access to the inlet valve land inte rior ot the pump cylinder, l provide a removable plugf in the Wall oliintase 24am aligned with the pump cylinder.

lily invention elimina-tes the vnecessityoil manual `adjustment ol .each lutnficator, upon installation of the same, in'oider lo secure the vbest results in the `operation of .the lubriltalso eliminates 'the supply oit aan eiicess quantity of lubricant to the journal ii espective of care utilized in fthe original installation or of Wear el the journal box liners during the life of lthe rolling stock.

VObvious y, details in the 'construction ol my invention maybe 'made Without departing from the spirit thereol and l conteniplate the exclusive use of such modifications as are included in the appended claims.

l claim:

l. ln a journal lubricator, a pump including a pump actuating element operated 'by relative movement between the lubricator and a surface on the journal to be lubricated and iii-ova'ble threughout the extent oit -said relative movemci-i't, and 'means yieldingly liiniiI the ol movement of said element to less than the totalement of said `relative increment.

2. ln a journal lubricator, a pump, a reciprocatii pump actuating element adapted to 'he operated by Imovement relatively to the lubricator and a sur-face on Vthe journal to be lubricated, an adjustable vmember for lim-iting the strokefof said elemen'tand :adapted to be toinatically adjusted by movement of said surface.

In lubricator, a pump, a reciprocating pump 'actuating element, a bearing for said l. ln a lul'iricatcr lli L ment to limit reciprocal movement.

5. ln a lubricator, -a pump, a Ireciprocating pump actuating rod, a bearing for said rod, said rod being reduced in diameter throughout a portion ol its length intermediate the ends of said bearing, and an expansible ring surrounding the reduced portion oli' said rod and seated in said bearing and adapted to engage the shouldered end of said reduced portion to limit movement o1 said rod.

G. In a journal lubricator, a pump including an inlet passage and a discharge passage, an apcrtured plunger in said discharge passage, and a bjhp;y s in the wall oit said discharge passage above the bottom ol said plunger.

7. In a journal lubricator, a pump incl ding an inlet` passage and a discharge pas sage, a check valve at the beginning oi said discharge jriassage, a by-pass in said charge passage spaced from said valve, an apertured plunger slidable in said i.. ischarge passage with one cud tending between said by-pass and cheek valve.

8. In a journal lubriciuor, pumj including an inlet passage l luirge pasi. a disc sage, a check valve at the beginn discharge passage, an apertured plunger resting on said check valve and slide.4 said discharge passage, and a bypass in discl'iarge passage gradually uiuzovered upward .movement o1 said plunger during the pump discharge.

9. In a lubricator, a pump including an inlet passage, a discharge passage, a cylinder and piston all or' substantial cross sectional area, plunger in said discharge passage provided with an aperture of relatively small cross sectional area, and a by-pass oit substantial size in said discharge passaue and uncovered by said plunger during said pump discharge.

10. In a journal lubricator, a pump including a vertical discharge passage, a delivery sleeve surrounding said passage and slidable thereon, a plunger within said passage, a by-pass in said passage adapted. to be opened by said plunger, and means lor pre venting movement of said sleeve over said ily-pass and movement of said plunger out of said passage.

11. In a journal lubricator, a pump including a vertical discharge passage, a delivery sleeve surrounding said passage and slid-able thereon, a plunger within said pas sage, a by-pass in said passage adapted to be opened by said plunger, a spring thrust 0j said sleeve upwardly, and a pin travers ,ing said passage and preventing disassembly ot said plunger and sleeve therewith.

12. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant reservoir, a horizontal pump cylinder above the bottom oli' said reservoir, a downwardly opening intake terminating below the lower portion of the interior ot said cylinder, and

a removable plug in the Wall of said intake and aligned with said cylinder.

13. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant cellar, and a pumping device pivotally supported near its center on the floor ot said cellar and including' a lubricant discharge member located substantially over its point of support.

14. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant cellar, and a pumping device including a lubricant discharge member adapted to extend along a journal to be lubricated., said device having a downwardly projecting lug by which 'the device is supported upon the :door of said cellar so as to tilt freely with said journal relatively to said cellar.

15. In journal lulnficator, a lubricant reservoir cenar and a sub-cellar containing means for distributing the lubricant to the journal to be lubricated, and a non-aberbent sci-aser movably mounted on said sub-cellar and yieldiugly held against the journal surface near the side ot said sub LIC 16. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant mioir or cellar, a sub-cellar adapted to distribute lubricant to the journal to be lubricated, a yielding member mounted on the floor ot said sub-ceilar, and a strip of nou-absorbent material held edgewise against said journal near the side of said sub-cellar by said member and 'formed of relata-'ely softmaterial.

17. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant reservoir er cellar, a sub-cellar adapted to distribute lubricant to the journal to be lubricated, an upstanding perforated lug on the lloor oi said sub-cellar, a curved member of spring material slotted between its ends to lit over said lug and having an end eX- tending upwardly toward said journal, a pin extending through said lug to hold said member in position, and a journal wiping element on the upwardly extending end o'f said member.

18. In a journal lubricator, a lubricant cellar and a pumping device having a rigid pivotal support and having a telescoping lubricant discharge passage over its point et' support. v

19.- In a journal luiericator, a lubricant reservoir, a pump including a discharge passage leading from the prunp cylinder to the journal to be lubricated and also including a normally closed discharge passage leading from the pump cylinder to said reservoir, and means :for limiting the amount or' lubricant discharged through said first-inentioned passage by the opening of said second-mentioned passage. i

In testimony ".fhereo'li I hereunto allix my signature this 17th day ot September, 1924.

JAMES J. HENNESSY. 

